20: Ore Dake no Kotoba de

Heero stepped inside the missile launching control room with a look of a slight arrogance reflecting his eyes; he disarmed a missile before, he certainly wasn't that rusty. How hard could be? Very hard if you've forgotten how to, Heero chided himself walking further into the room, he scanned the area thoroughly seeing it was the only one in the lower levels aside from the cargo holds. If he was correct he was in the room that operated every missile that was situated in the room, now he just had to find the panel that control its functions. "Hn. Easier said than done," He grumbled. The Japanese teenager stepped in front of a control panel, on top of it resided a pair of keys and a revealed button that looked as though it had already been pressed.

Heero's eyes narrowed putting two-&-two together; Margaret must've been down here already which meant he was in the wrong room, just his luck. Running his tongue across the inside the of his cheek he looked outside the window at the catwalk, he could try to disarm the bomb manually but if he was right these missiles were imported from Korea, hince their strange structural design, which meant he would have to read the directions. He knew nothing of Korean language except tae-dan-hi kam-sa-ham-ni-da, something Jin had said to him. Thank you very much was he believed the boy had said to him. Heero cursed Dr. J for never teaching him Korean, leaning over the panel his fingers went to work punching in a break-in-all virus hoping it would give him access to the mainframe that would shut the self-detonation down.

He looked up at the small screen above the keyboard; 16:34:01:00 minutes remaining, not wasn't good considering Heero had no idea how Duo was going to get the others along with himself across the cliff that separated them from safety. The initial explosion would take out more than thirty-four kilometers which meant escape was pretty much a wasted effort on Duo and Wufei's part. The Japanese ex-pilot wondered where Quatre and Trowa were as he watched the numbers retreat to the corner of the screen showcasing a matrix of codes scrolling up the screen being uncoded in less than three seconds. He thought it was strange that the two weren't with the others.

Heero watched with bated breath as the codes shut down the seventy-nine others missiles: now all it had to do was shut down the large missile, a minute passed Heero sighed of relief when all the other missiles read disarmed but a shrill alarming sound from the computer caught him off guard in his moment of accomplishment, the young man looked down at the screen with slightly wide eyes at the bold letters beside the program that controled the largest missile.Unable to shut down. System locked, Heero gritted his teeth at the sheer thought of going into the heart of the missile and shut it down manually.

If there was ever time he wanted to believe in a higher power it was right now, stepping away from the control panel the Japanese teenager rushed out of the room onto the catwalk as fast as his legs could carry him toward the missile, he could feel sweat rolling down his jawbone as he came up to his desired destination. God was laughing at him he thought with hate bringing himself to a halt in front of the missile. Heero measured the space between the catwalk and the missile, it wasn't that much of a distance but he would surely fall through it he even dared to stand on the railing of the catwalk in an ill attempt to disconnect the bomb by the wires, luckily for him he had excellent balance from his training.

Heero decided it wouldn't kill him to try to stand on the railing and sever the wires that would allow it to explode. Swallowing roughly the young man turned glancing downward at the ground below his feet with a look of regret about his eyes. If he died (whether by the fall or the explosion) he'd only hoped that Relena forgave him for doing so for it wasn't his intentions any longer. With a blink of his eyes the young man placed his hands firmly upon the railing then carefully placed his feet one step at a time onto the railing, the easy part was over now he had to push himself into a standing position. Inhaling Heero slowly stood up his feet were moving beneath him trying to balance him on the railing, Heero leaned forward he let his hands press against the surface of the missile his eyes fixed upon the panel that covered the inside of the large bomb.

His face impassive, the young man guided his hand across the missile's surface and carefully placed his finger nails beneath the cover then with all his strength ripped the cover off. He never bothered to watch it fall to the ground he only listened to it hit the ground below. Hard part over; now for the harder part. Heero's eyes scanned the circuitry curiously before reaching inside, he felt around the upper part of the exposed inside of the missile until his hands brushed against a thick cluster of wires. So far so good, the 17-year-old pulled the wires downward knowing there was enough of it that he wasn't afraid of pulling them out of their respective places. Leaving them hanging out of the bomb's structure like a guts from an animal he placed his right hand upon the surface and used his left to reach into his pocket to pull out his Swiss army knife.

His hand brushed across its form and he pulled it out of his pant pocket. Flipping the blade out of its protective shell the young man grabbed the wires with his right hand unsure if his feet would remain steady underneath him, one slip and he was as good as gone. If he remembered correctly, Dr. J had instructed him to never cut the green or yellow wires because they would set the bomb off without warning, the red and blue wires were always the ones that held the key to stopping the bomb. As for the black one......

Heero wracked his brain for any sort of reference that Dr. J gave on a black wire just in case it ever appeared when he least expected it. Remember Heero, if you ever come across a black wire to never cut it. It, much like the yellow and green wires, well set the bomb off, only the timer will stop then explode. Always remember this. Heero slowly moved his blade from the black wire leaving him only with the choice of cutting the blue or red wire, the problem was which wire would stop the bomb from detonating? Heero's heart thumped against his chest fearful of what would happen if he chose the wrong one. His hand began to tremble from the nervousness he felt rattling his body, his breathing was shaky and the sweat began to intensify rolling faster down his body causing his sweater to stick to his chest. Closing his eyes Heero used a technique learned from Wufei to calm himself down. Maybe if he though hard enough he would cut the right one.

"Wufei, I demand that you put me down! Put me down at once!" Relena demanded, pounding against the Chinese teenager's back. Wufei ignored her despite the aching in his back from carrying her and being pounded by her small hands turned to fists that ailed him, Hilde stayed behind them while Duo leaded them through the halls of the base with every intention of getting his friends to safety if Heero fa--- no he couldn't think like that, Heero never failed before he wouldn't fail now ... he hoped.

He glanced back to find Wufei's face twisting slightly Relena's back pounding was becoming more persistent, Duo could tell it wouldn't be long before the 17-year-old snapped at the well known Government official for being so down right crude toward his back. Turning around he continued to walk only in a clumsy backward way, he signaled for Wufei to stop by forming a 'T' with his hands. Wufei paused causing Hilde to slow her pace as well her expression was that of a perplexed one. Weren't they trying to escape with all their limbs intact before the base blew up?

"Wufei, put Relena down, I'm sure she understands she's not goin' back to persuade Heero to join us. Are ya', 'Ojousan?" Duo inquired with a playful smirk. Relena remained silent knowing that she had been defeated, found out more or less, with a nod of her head she felt herself being placed onto the floor by Wufei who appeared to be having some difficulties in the process. Duo came up to the two with a serious look reflecting his eyes as well as his face, Wufei moved a head of him gesturing to Hilde that should do the same, the German paused in mid-step watching the stand off between her friend and Relena before rushing off to catch up with Wufei. Relena watched Hilde go ahead of them wondering why Duo hadn't moved along as well when she felt his hand grasp her wrist.

She looked down at his hand in question then back up him, Duo's expression was all business. "I understand your worried about Heero's well-being, but you've gotta understand he's doing this for your well-being and ours. He went to go and disarm the missiles. Its' not that big a thing, he'll do it, no problem," He said his cheery exterior returning. "Now let's get out of here, shall we? We don't have a lot of time for this, and I don't wanna be around when this place blows." Relena could not retort to his final comment she was pulled down the hall at an incredibly fast rate by the American ex-pilot she did not struggle against his firm grip, that would only anger him more.

"Such faith in Heero's abilities," Relena joked, feeling the need to add her two cents. Duo glanced at her a smirk playing at his lips but said nothing. He focused all his attention on getting down the hall and catching up to the others. Rounding the corner the two spotted Wufei and Hilde standing at the corner awaiting their arrival, Duo almost yelled at them for doing so but he didn't want to get into a fight with either of his comrades so he just ran past them with Relena trailing behind. Wufei raced after Relena and Duo with Hilde trailing behind him moving just as fast he was. He was impressed to say the least; the four of them continued down the long path of twisting corridors.

Une wasn't sure what she had just done. Une knew her body was hanging over the edge of a building, but the puzzling thing was that she was holding onto someone's wrists and that the only thing that was keeping her from falling along with them was her foot wedged into a hole in the structure of the edge of the wall. In other words, she was hanging on a thread, her gun was clamped between her teeth her hands gripped the Korean's wrists with a vice-like strength, she would not allow him to succumb to death without a chance to see what was worth living for.

Her teeth shifted against the hard metal of her weapon as she tried to pull him up over the edge. Jin grunted in pain from the heat radiating from his side from the stretching of his skin and the weight on his lower half, he was near tears when he felt Margaret's nails claw to his sides. He was helpless state and the only person that was going to get him out of it was Lady Une herself, but he knew she'd rather have him tossed in jail so why was she helping him? More importantly, when was he going to be left alone to die?

He could feel Margaret's weight tugging at him trying to bring him down with her but he wouldn't allow it, being killed by someone he despised was not his way to go, the boy looked up into Une's brown eyes feeling his wrists sliding through Une's grip. He felt himself getting lower, Jin grunted at the abrupt stop and looked down at Margaret who's face was expressionless while her eyes reflected the emotion of irony. Jin found nothing ironic about the situation not at all. "You're not helping this situation any more, Une," Margaret's voice was strained.

"Let us go." Une released her gun from her mouth letting it fall she scowled down at the red-haired woman with contempt as she tried to pull Jin over the edge back onto the roof. Jin gritted his teeth as the pain in his side intensified more than he cared to admit, his eye twitched with an uncertain emotion as he felt his wrists sliding slowly out of Une's grasp. Margaret's shifted her sights downward scanning the world below her wondering if the drop was as high as her eyes made it look, her eyes continued to look downward when she spotted an open window, a jalousie to her great delight.

Her nails grinned against Jin's injury as she positioned herself for the fall, her long finger managed to loop itself through the line of the stitch Heero had made. Jin felt this and looked down at the woman who was obviously unaware of this, he tried to jar his wrist out of Une's grasp but her grip just became harder. "Let go of my wrist!" He snapped. "No," Was all Une could get out, the strain on her arms was getting to her. Jin looked as though he was going to faint; his face grew pale as he tried to shake Margaret off his waist by kicking her with the only leg he could move that wasn't under her weight, his boot came in contact with her face causing her to lose her grip on the right side of his torso.

"Get your nails out of my side!" He snapped. Margaret looked up at the young boy with a devilish grin releasing her left hand from his side, Jin could feel his stitches being ripped out of their place reopening his wound, he choked back a scream. Margaret went into a free fall toward the jalousie as she did she spotted a bloody strand of what she thought was string following her. Groaning in annoyance the woman removed it from underneath her nail just in time to grab the edge of the jalousie, Margaret looked down with a sigh releasing her pint-up fears in that single breath noticing that she was closer to the ground than she had been before.

It shouldn't hurt to drop once more. I doubt I'll die. Margaret grinned ruefully at the thought then looked up above her. She saw Jin being hauled over the edge of the building by a weary Lady Une. A shame, she thought releasing her grip on the jalousie, that boy didn't deserve to die in such a place where soldier's once roamed but it was his own foolish determination to kill her that got him in that situation. The 44-year-old woman landed in a crouched position she looked about her area before rising to a standing position, there seemed to be no one around so she decided to take this as a sign to make her get away. Margaret began to move forward at a fast pace when she spotted Wing Zero about a mile across from her making its way over to the edge of the cliff, in a sluggish way.

It was truly a strange thing to witness, a mobile suit nearly destroyed was moving on its own despite the heavy damage it had sustained, it was something to marvel. She watched with awe as the Gundam paused at the edge wavering back and forth slightly before turning its chest poking upward slightly as if it were looking upward. Margaret glanced upward at the building she had fallen with a smirk then returned her gaze back to the Gundam that had turned its back to the base, the mobile suit raised its arm as high as it could it released its grip upon its beam cannon, the weapon was first to fall into the void;

Wing Zero had lost its identity along with all purpose in its artificial life and was grateful to be used once more by the wistful young boy looking for purpose in his life as well. Shutting down the remaining systems still functional inside its battered body Zero fell forward and vanished into the void accompanying his weapon. Margaret blinked unsure if she had seen what she had just saw, she stared at the spot where the mobile suit once stood at for the longest time before de-rooting herself from her present position and heading off toward a cluster trees.

Une dragged Jin away from the edge of the building paying no attention to the throbbing in her arms, she swallowed roughly a grunt following after her. The 22-year-old laid the boy on the ground half way kneeling down front of him Une laid his upper half upon her knees, Jin's fists were clutched tightly as his body spasmed violently as if he were freezing from the cold temperatures of the outside. Une placed a hand on his forehead glancing down at his wounded side; he was bleeding profusely and she feared the worst for him, reaching into her jacket she pulled out a two-way-raido and brought it to her lips.

"Preventer fire, do you read me? This is Firey Une, come in Preventer Fire," Une released her grip upon the button glancing down at the pale face of the 13-year-old who looked less than pleased despite the pained expression. There was a long silence that was broken by static and the voice of Noin. "This is fire, what is it Une?" The Mediterranean woman responded. "I need a medical assistance immediately, I've got an injured--- ("Orphan," Jin moaned)--- orphan here at the Alliance base. Where are you?" Une replied. There was another pause, Une looked down at Jin's side she placed a hand on Jin's injury causing him to react violently, he kicked his curled legs from underneath his body giving a small cry of pain, Une shrugged her jacket off her shoulders placing the two-way on the ground beside her.

She pressed the jacket against his side placing her left against it, Jin tensed at the feeling of pressure, she picked up the two-way just as Noin responded. "We're--- Preventer Wind and myself, are evacuating the surrounding area of the of the base incase the base explodes. I've sent your message to the nearest hospital, they should arrive within the next two hours. Who's the orphan?" Noin asked. "Jin Toshino," Une said calmly turning off her radio. Jin gritted his teeth, he could've sworn he was going into shock, his onyx blue eyes stared up at Une fear etched across his face.

He could feel Une slipping her hand under his head as if she were trying to comfort him, the 13-year-old scowled mentally at the thought of comfort. "Why do you care whether I live or die, Lady?" He stammered. "Why do you want to die so badly?" Une asked curtly her fingers digging through his hair. Jin grinned wearily as tears fell freely from his eyes, without remorse. "I--- I just---," JIn coughed violently, he could feel blood forming in his throat. "I just wanted to see my--." He paused wondering if he should tell her the truth. "I don't deserve to live." He whispered hoarsely. Une was taken aback by his response unsure how to respond.

Oh dear, I seemed to have gotten lost from the others, what am I do to? Dorothy found herself lost in a darkened maze of halls she managed to take herself to when she made a wrong turn in the missile base after getting distracted by something that had caught her eye, sad to say she wished she had followed the others instead of giving into her curiosities letting her mind getting the best of better judgment. Dorothy sighed as she ran down the ever present corridor that never seemed to end from her point of view, the blonde wondered if she would even catch up to them or find them at all.

The most puzzling thing to Dorothy was how they could not have noticed her absence; the 19-year-old almost scowled at the pilot's thick-headness and unable to keep complete calm over themselves during a crisis, they never seemed to pay attention to the one's they were supposed to be protecting; except when it came to Relena Darlain. She hated to think ill of her friend but sometimes she attracted too much attention to herself at times, especially when it had to with the safety with her life. The pilots just seemed to forget everyone around them when her life was threatened, they truly acted like soldiers with something worth protecting.

She sighed a small smile playing upon her lips, why was she so worried about if they paid attention to her or not? It never concerned her before why did it now? Perhaps it was because attention is what was lacking in her mediocre life. Ever since she had moved on from clinging onto her past Dorothy felt as though she was suffering from lack of interaction with human beings, so she did the only thing a normal human would do. When winter break came around she decided to visit Quatre a person she could truly consider to be her friend. He was surprised to say the least when she appeared at his doorstep and was at a loss of what he could possibly do for being unable to prep his house for her visit.

Dorothy just brushed the inconvenience of the house being unprepared for outsiders as nothing, wanting nothing more than to have Quatre's company all to herself. He of course didn't mind although he did warn her that he may be busy with a mountain of paper work he had to complete before the end of the year, which was a little too much to ask of such a young boy despite his political status. Quatre just brushed it off as being something he did every day, a walk in the park. Dorothy would've scoffed at the remark if that had come from her grandfather. So Qautre let her stay for the time being barely taking notice of her presence most of the time;

he was copped up in his office so much his sisters that were also visiting him complained more than she did, especially at dinner time, they made him feel like a complete heel for working. Dorothy wouldn't have gone as far as making him feel guilty for working, but only reminded him that he had guests at his home that came all this way to see him. A day later his sister's (Iria not Irea, Aurza, and Megan) left saying they would return before Christmas Eve at the very latest, Quatre was present when they left but she could tell he was feeling more like a heel for letting them leave. The 19-year-old smiled sadly at the memory as her eyes caught sight of something bright at the end of the hall her mind quirking with curiosity the long haired blonde picked up her pace and made haste down the hall.

What could be still functioning down here? An exit light perhaps? Dorothy jumped over a large piece of plaster that had fallen from the ceiling and continued onward her breath full of excitement, her heart pumping with expectation. When Dorothy arrived to the where the light was emitting she found herself standing below an exit sign in front of a door, she read sign with a sort of disappointment; she had to find Quatre and the other's before it was too late for her. Dorothy stared at the door a little while longer contemplating on which path she should travel and which was the best way to take; there was the emergency exit door she was standing in front of that would either take her outside of the building or to the rooftop where no one was likely to be.

Or the path she was standing on that would lead her somewhere else inside the building possibly leading her to the others, but either way would do her well, but Dorothy's goal was to find the others not escape and leave them behind. As her feet pressed against the ground readying her flight down the hall she paused taking another long-winded look at the emergency exit's door getting the feeling she should be going that way instead of heading down the hall. Grandfather always taught me to trust in my feelings, maybe this time I should take his advice for once. Groaning the blonde pushed against the door entering the elaborate maze of stairs going either up or down. Down stairs would probably take me outside. I'll try the upper stairs, Dorothy thought heading up the stairs in the quickest pace she could manage without wearing herself out; above she could hear faint footfalls.

Trowa paused in his footsteps upon catching sight of someone entering the stairway area in which itself was not surprising if it was another rebel coming after them instead of running for their life. Trowa could've sworn there was no one following them the last time he checked. Quatre was seven steps ahead of him when he stopped to find that the tall Latin American hadn't followed him but instead was leaning over the railing of the stairs peering downward with intent green eyes, the young 17-year-old had just noticed that Trowa was missing his down jacket much like he was. They had only their sweaters to protect them from the cold of the outside, which wasn't much since they weren't wool sweaters.

"Trowa, what is it?" He asked heading over to the railing of the stairs. Trowa raised a hand indicating he wanted Quatre to stop as he tried to focus his sights on the rapidly moving body that was heading up the stairs in their direction, he or she still had a ways to go but Trowa wanted to see if it really was a rebel incase he had to use what few bullet's he had left. "I think someone's been following us," He whispered to Quatre. The blonde's eyebrows raised considerably not so much in surprise but more of amusement wondering why anyone would still be after them, Trowa stepped away from the railing of the stairs before resuming his climb up the stairs following after his comrade who he had gestured to keep going.

The two were only a flight of stairs away from the rooftop door which for Trowa was more than a good sign that their time had not been wasted and there was a possibility that Jin was still alive. The brown-haired young man had almost forgotten why he had wanted to go up to the roof in the first place, but one look at Quatre's worried face refreshed his memory and the vigor he thought he had left behind on the second flight of stairs. Trowa's eyes cast downward at the thought of Jin in trouble; the boy looked as though he had been through enough to age even most innocent eleven year old when he first met him, he didn't approve of his short-tempered attitude one bit.

Jin had given him the impression of a spoiled brat completely unaware of his orphaned, homeless status; when they had came out of the dressing room in the Preventer's HQ and entered the meeting room where Une was briefing them, Jin had mocked his sitting posture (despite the fact that he sat on the table) along with Duo's tenancy to fiddle with his braid, Wufei's frown, and Heero's glare that was sent in his direction. Trowa immediately decided he disliked the boy and there was nothing that could change his mind. However, Duo had other things in mind and defended Jin while they were heading out of to the Corsica base, Trowa said noting to retort Duo's claims that he was just like them with the exception that he had known his parents. Quatre was wise to stay out of the conversation that suddenly split between himself, Duo, Wufei, and Heero who obviously disliked Jin for his own reasons.

Wufei had been with Duo when he planted the tracking device on the motorcycle the young boy had abducted, the Chinese preventer stated that he found nothing wrong with Jin except that he was playing on a side he no idea about and was too weak to even consider fighting in a rebel army, never mind his age. Trowa agree with him partly but still he, like Heero, held Jin in contempt, but for his disrespect. Duo remained silent for the remainder ride. Even to this day, Trowa didn't favor Jin that much but he made a vow to help the boy out whenever he saw something was bothering him; he hadn't broken his pinkie swear.

"Err.....Trowa..," The 17-year-old looked at his friend in question before spotting the door in front of them, a sweatdrop formed on side of his head when he also realized stood close to the door. "Don't say anything," Trowa grumbled grabbing the door knob. Quatre grinned like a child with a nod, Trowa turned the knob the two stepped onto the roof noticing there was blood on the ground. The ex-pilots were on high alert as they ventured passed the bloodstained snow, Quatre could the cold feeling that assaulted him creeping up in the back of his mind he took it as a sign they were close to where Jin was. Trowa scanned the area around him finding nothing out of the ordinary except the blood stains that were easier to spot now, he looked ahead of him toward the edge of the roof;

There his eyes rested upon a pair of legs sticking straight out the pants were worn and battered giving Trowa the impression that is was another rebel lying dead on the ground, but the sound of a trembling voice and an all too familiar voice that carried such strength that Trowa could've sworn that she was talking to him. He turned to take a glance at Quatre but the young blonde was no longer beside him. "Huh?" He looked around and spotted Quatre edging toward the location of the voice Trowa would've ordered his comrade to stop but Quatre was too far ahead of him to even throw a whisper in his direction. Readying his gun the tall teenager followed after Quatre his footsteps could be heard upon the snow, the soft crunches of snow beneath his thick snow boots, despite his efforts to make a soundless approach.

However, Quatre's cry of horror broke the Latin American's tendency to play it safe for he feared for the life of his friend. The young man broke into a run his gun clutched tightly in his grasp, he came up beside Quatre in record time only to find that it was not the Arab that was in trouble but the trembling figure on the ground grasping to Une's shirt sleeve with dear life. Trowa could not believe what he was seeing, Jin was on the ground looking more fragile and helpless than he had ever seen him, his skin was pasty pale complexion wet with tears, Jin yet to notice them standing above him although Une was staring straight at them her eyes pleading for help.

"What happened here?" He asked kneeling down in front of the two, Quatre remained standing. Une shook her head her face returning to its hardened expression, she mentally cursed the boy for his death-wish because it looked as though he was going to get it. "Previous injury, his stitches were removed in a most ill-mannered way, I've managed to stop the bleeding but he lost a considerable amount before this. He could die if something isn't done," Une explained. Trowa could hear the quiver in the woman's voice knowing she feared for his life whereas Jin forced himself to grin, and such a grin it was. Full of false bravado. "I-I.... I'm ok-- okay...," Jin choked. Trowa gave the boy a skeptic look as he placed two fingers against Jin's neck he could feel a weak pulse pumping against his finger tips, he looked at Jin's face, the boy fought to gain control of his emotions as well as keep himself from falling into shock like slumber.

"Jin... how'd this happen?" Trowa asked tentatively. Jin's onyx blue eyes blinked rapidly as he fought back another wave nausea he forced his jaw to move against the shivering that assaulted his body still. "I... I.... got hurt when I was piloting..... Wing.... Zero. I crashed him into the base and self-destructed at the same time. Its' how got the injury, Heero--- fixed me up although I don't remember that.... And Margaret ... she did this to me. She tore my stitches out," Jin released a pained sigh clutching Une's sleeve tighter than before. Trowa looked down at his side taking note of Une's bloody preventer's jacket and the broken skin that it failed to hide, Jin's injury was worse than Heero's list of wounds put together.

(TBC.......)